Cox's Bazar, Chattogram
Cox's Bazar
Cox's Bazar is home to one of the longest natural sea beaches in the world and is Bangladesh's busiest holiday destination. Buses are busiest around weekends and public holidays, so book early for those dates.
Local food to try
Where to eat
Where to stay
Culture
Cox’s Bazar is a fishing town as much as a resort: before dawn the boats come in at the landing ghats, and the drying racks of shutki line the coast.
- The Rakhine community, of Arakanese origin, keeps Buddhist temples (kyang) in town and at Ramu, and runs the Burmese Market of handwoven cloth, pickles and crafts.
- In April the Rakhine celebrate Sangrai, their new year water festival.
- On Maheshkhali island, the hilltop Adinath temple and a Buddhist pagoda stand near each other.
History
Cox’s Bazar takes its name from Captain Hiram Cox, an officer of the East India Company who was sent here in the late eighteenth century to resettle refugees fleeing war in Arakan, across the Naf river. He died in 1799 before the work was finished, and the market that grew up in his name became the town. The area was known earlier as Palongki, and for centuries it had passed between the rulers of Bengal and Arakan.
The Rakhine people who settled along this coast gave the district much of its character. Their Buddhist monasteries — at Ramu, in the town itself and further south towards Teknaf — and their markets, weaving and food are still part of life here.
The beach is what made Cox’s Bazar famous. It runs unbroken for roughly 120 kilometres from the town to Teknaf, one of the longest natural sea beaches in the world. After independence the town grew into Bangladesh’s favourite holiday destination, and the Marine Drive along the coast, with the hills on one side and the sea on the other, opened the quieter beaches to the south.
From here boats run to Maheshkhali island, and in season to Saint Martin’s, the country’s only coral island.
Plan your visit
Best time to visit
November to March, when the sea is calm
How to get there
Buses from Dhaka take about 8–10 hours, most of them overnight, and arrive at counters along Kolatoli Road. From Chattogram it is about 4 hours. There are also trains from Dhaka and Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar station, and frequent domestic flights.
Buses are busiest around weekends and public holidays, so book early for those dates.
Getting around
- Easy-bikes (battery auto-rickshaws) and rickshaws run between the beach points and the town.
- CNGs and jeeps for the Marine Drive, Himchari and Inani; hire for a half or full day.
- Speedboats to Maheshkhali leave from Kasturi Ghat.
- Agree every fare before the ride.